AFC North Power Rankings: Bengals fall to bottom after Week 3

The AFC North is far from being the best division in football through three weeks. The Pittsburgh Steelers are undefeated. However, the rest of the teams all have a losing record. Even though they have the same record, the Baltimore Ravens and Clevland Browns are going in opposite directions. The Cincinnati Bengals are lost and searching for answers, but there's still a whole lot of football left to play.

Now that the dust has settled from the latest slate of games, here are the AFC North Power Rankings after Week 3.

4. Cincinnati Bengals (0-3)

The Bengals entered their Monday night contest against the Washington Commanders needing a win to keep pace with the rest of the division. With the Ravens winning on Sunday, the Bengals were the only winless team in the AFC North. Unfortunately, that is how they left the game. Now, the season is teetering on disaster. 

The Bengals lost to the Patriots in Week 1 despite being the biggest betting favorite opening weekend. New England lost its next two games. In front of a national audience on Monday Night Football, they lost to a rookie quarterback who looked like a veteran and one of the best quarterbacks in the league.

Not much went right for the Bengals’ defense against the Commanders. Lou Anarumo’s unit was nonexistent for much of the game. Jayden Daniels completed 21 of 23 passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns. His 91% completion rate was an NFL record for a rookie. Cincinnati’s defense also surrendered over 100 yards rushing. Most of that came from Daniels. After a disastrous Monday night performance, Cincinnati is last in the division in points allowed this season. 

The Bengals are in last place in the AFC North. Now they can only hope, not expect, to get in the win column in Week 4 against Andy Dalton and the Carolina Panthers.

3. Cleveland Browns (1-2)

The 0-2 New York Giants proved too much for the Browns to manage on Sunday. Losing to the previously winless Giants is only partly why they find themselves third in this week’s AFC North Power Rankings.

The Browns headed into their game against the Giants with the division’s worst point differential. They exit Week 3 with the division’s worst point differential. Cleveland has scored the least amount of points in the division. Cleveland’s only win came against the now 0-3 Jacksonville Jaguars. 

Quarterback Deshaun Watson is not the passer that Cleveland hoped for this season. His 57.8 completion percentage is the third-worst in the league. Cleveland’s 4.8 yards per passing attempt ranks dead last. Put simply, Watson has been bad.

The Browns offense is struggling overall, as they rank 31st in yards per play. The only team averaging fewer yards per play are the Chicago Bears. The Browns and Bears are the only teams that average under four yards per play. 

Cleveland’s next game is against the Las Vegas Raiders. 

2. Baltimore Ravens (1-2)

The Ravens obviously read last week’s AFC North Power Rankings and took umbrage. You are welcome, Ravens, by the way. Baltimore held a 28-6 lead entering the fourth quarter over and they ultimately escaped Dallas with a win over the Cowboys, 28-25.

The Ravens offense played well, scoring 28 points and accumulating 456 yards. Their defense played well until they didn’t, surrendering 19 fourth-quarter points, making the final score much closer than it should have been. 

Baltimore’s defense is struggling thus far this season. Their 78 points allowed is second-worst in the conference and ranks 25th in the NFL. However, their offense’s 71 total points scored is the division’s best mark.

Next week, the Ravens take on the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football in a game that will have considerable implications for the conference seeding later in the season.

Ravens versus the Bills will also cause our ears to bleed, as we will undoubtedly hear about how Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen are in a tier above Joe Borrow. Football fans must suffer regurgitated talking points about how Jackson and Allen are the biggest threats to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. Yay!

1. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-0)

There was a lot of movement among the above teams. The one constant in this week’s power rankings are the Steelers. Mike Tomlin’s team is not flashy. They run the ball well and play excellent defense. Their free-agent quarterback, Justin Fields, continues to play starting-caliber football. 

Pittsburgh held the Chargers to 107 total passing yards. They stifled the Chargers’ rushing attack to 60 total yards. The Steelers got to Justin Herbert and Taylor Heinicke for five sacks. 

Pittsburgh’s +25-point differential is the best in the AFC North and fifth-best in the entire NFL. Their defense is the best in the league, allowing only 26 total points in three games, which is impressive.

The Steelers play the Indianapolis Colts next. Pittsburgh will be the favorite to win that matchup. Therefore, expect the Steelers to start the season 4-0 and hold on to the top spot after the Week 4 slate.